


Heir of the Empire

by ztb5052



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Pre-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers, tros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:54:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22234396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ztb5052/pseuds/ztb5052
Summary: Inspired by the events of STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, this fan fiction examines the backstory of the unexpected characters who appear in the last episode of the Skywalker saga. This story is mostly canon-compliant. The story begins just after the fall of the Republic into the newly formed Galactic Empire, around the year 17 BBY. It will progress, eventually, to pass the events of STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI.[TROS SPOILERS AHEAD]Still wondering who Rey's parents are? Who carried the Emperor's child? How did Palpatine come to survive the explosion of the death star? The burning questions that we still have from THE RISE OF SKYWALKER are answered in this mostly canon-compliant fan fiction entitled STAR WARS HEIR OF THE EMPIRE
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. The Phantom Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emperor Palpatine has been having visions of past Sith Lords. With each vision, the new Emperor becomes perplexed about what it all means. A strong encounter with a phantom of the dark side leaves the Emperor yearning to unlock all the mysteries of the Force.

A long time ago in a galaxy far,  
far away....

STAR WARS  
HEIR OF THE EMPIRE

The GALACTIC REPUBLIC has fallen. In  
its place rises the GALACTIC EMPIRE,  
commanding peace and order across  
the galaxy. Senators look to bring  
new jobs to their home worlds.

On CORELLIA, people are struggling  
since the end of the Clone Wars. Their  
young Senator REGYN VAUS travels to  
Coruscant in hopes of securing  
imperial work and gaining the favor of  
the Emperor.

Meanwhile, EMPEROR PALPATINE has  
reoccurring visions of past SITH LORDS.  
Unsure of what the messages mean,  
Palpatine searches for MORABAND,  
the ancient planet of the Sith....

* * *

**Chapter 1  
** **The Phantom Voice**

“Sidious,” a low and booming voice called.

Emperor Palpatine, alone in his chambers, relaxed, eyes closed in meditation. He had heard this voice before, but never as clearly as right now. He did not respond vocally, but allowed the energy in the Force to connect him with this mysterious caller.

“Master of the Dark Side of the Force, are you not?” called the voice.

Strange. It was almost as if the voice were in the room with the Emperor himself.

“My master taught me all that I know. In his teachings I’ve grown stronger, more powerful,” Sidious replied.

“The most powerful Sith of them all, are you?” the voice beckoned.

A mood came over the Emperor. He knew his powers to be strong. He had in fact destroyed his master, a Sith Lord powerful enough to alter the midichlorians that create life. “I have learned to use the Dark Side of the Force, as any Sith before me. But I have accomplished what no other has.” Palpatine paused, awaiting a reply, but found only silence. “I eradicated the Jedi Order. I brought balance to the Force and Order to the Galaxy.”

“No,” came the voice, striking a harsher tone. “That was the work of your apprentice – Darth Vader. Powerful, he is. Strong with the Dark Side. A threat to your power is Lord Vader.”

“Darth Vader is loyal. Strong and powerful, yes, but no match for my powers,” the Emperor chirped back, a feeling of anger growing inside of him.

“Your confidence in your young apprentice makes you weaker,” the voice echoed through Palpatine’s chamber. “Recall the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise. The master of death, killed in his sleep by _his_ _apprentice_.”

A passionate hate burned through Palpatine now. “I KNOW,” the Emperor roared in response. “I am the one who took the life of Darth Plagueis! I struck him down. I took his knowledge and used it to become the Emperor of the Galaxy! Who dares question my power?”

The voice was silent. Then, a faint whisper that echoed through Palpatine’s head, “My boy,” came the voice, “true power lies not in what you can do when you are living, but how you exist in the Force when you have passed. Only the strongest and most powerful Sith Lords, so at one with the Force, can achieve a power to exist beyond life itself.”

“Show yourself to me!” Palpatine grew impatient with the phantom voice. His eyes were wide open now, but he was no longer in his chambers. Looking around, he did not recognize this planet. The air was thick and orange colored, the sky full of dense red clouds. The terrain below his feet was dry and rust-colored. Large mountains sat in the background of the large, dusty plane where the Emperor currently found himself standing. Palpatine stared off into the distance and noticed a formation within the mountains. It appeared to be manmade. He felt it calling, so he moved towards it.

As he approached, Palpatine could make out a temple carved into the mountainous terrain. A garden of pillars sat before the temple. At the top of the structure, a small window, shining light from the red sun into the garden. As the sun moved through the sky, so moved the light, striking different pillars in its path. Palpatine stopped to examine the phenomena for a few moments. As the light struck the pillar, a message appeared on its face. Palpatine, unable to read the text, moved in closer. Even right next to the pillars, the text was illegible for the Emperor.

He pondered the hazed text for a moment then moved through the garden area towards a staircase at the entrance of the temple. He followed the staircase down, the walls damp and the air getting thicker as he descended into the temple.

At last, he arrived at the base of the stairs. Before him stood a small doorway where no light shone through the entryway. Palpatine examined the room, listening and looking… but nothing. He reached out with the Force. The Dark Side was extremely powerful here. He had felt this the entire time, of course, but the pull from inside this room was more powerful than anything the Sith Lord had ever felt before.

He entered the black room and the doorway disappeared behind him. He called out again to the voice, “Why have you brought me here?”

Finally, a light appeared, a red flame in the distance. Palpatine saw a pathway leading from his location to a cauldron containing the flame, which appeared to be at the center of a crossroad. He moved towards the flame; its force energy calling to him like a beacon in the night.

Palpatine approached the flame, which disappeared just as he had arrived. He looked out around him, but could now see the entire room. It shone the same hue of red as the flame did a moment ago. Before him was a large statue of a face that he recognized: his late master Darth Plagueis. He looked to the right and found yet another Sith Lord – Darth Revan. To the left: Darth Bane. Around him were statues of Sith Lords of the past. Palpatine knelt at the center of the room, feeling at one with the dark side.

From the opposite side of the cauldron, a large red figure appeared, draped in black robes, his face covered by a black hood. The figure approached Sidious at the center of the room. His eyes glowed red, the only facial feature that the Emperor could distinguish. The figure spoke in the same booming voice that Palpatine had been communicating with earlier, “Come to me, Lord Sidious. Complete your training.”

“Yes, my master,” Sidious bowed to the Sith figure, “But where—” As Palpatine looked up, he found that both the figure and statues had gone. He no longer knelt at the center of the red-colored room in the temple, but instead was back in his chambers on Coruscant.

 _Curious_ , he thought, _what more could there be to learn from the Force?_


	2. Corellian Challenges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Senator Regyn Vaus of Corellia travels to Coruscant for the Imperial work contract bidding while citizens on her planet struggle to get by day-to-day.

Regyn Vaus was a smart woman. Though she was young, she knew that securing new Imperial work was the key to growing the economy of Corellia. As she prepared to leave for Coruscant, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. Many worlds would be vying for an Imperial work contract. Actually securing one would be difficult. But it had to be done. Corellia had to become the new ship manufacturing port for the Imperial Navy. After all, the old shipyards had seen a decline in work since the end of the Clone Wars, and this could finally be a chance to secure the work force and economy for generations of Corellians.

“Senator, best of luck on Coruscant. I know that you understand the importance in securing this contract for us,” said Fliry Vorru, the Governor of Corellia. A man of few words, Vaus knew failure of this mission could be costly upon her return.

“I have every intention of returning the shipyards of Corellia to their former glory, Governor. I won’t return until I have the confidence of the Empire to do so,” she replied candidly.

“For your sake, I hope so.” The Governor kept a straight face, like he always did, as Regyn Vaus boarded her transport to Coruscant. The flight would be short, as the capital planet was not very far away.

“How are you feeling, Madam?”

The soft voice of Vaus’ assistant, Gala Kruze was a reassuring sound for the Senator, but she couldn’t help the feeling of butterflies in her stomach.

“Confidently nervous,” Vaus replied. “The beneficiary of this contract will become an important staple for the Empire’s success. The business it will bring has the potential to restore our planet to its former glory. We have the resources, but we’re far from the only planet capable of what the Emperor wants. Our location, though, may prove to be the key factor.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, Senator, what exactly does the Empire want?” Kruze asked curiously. She was never one to pry, but she could feel the urgency in Senator Vaus’ voice.

She paused for a moment and looked Kruze in the eye. She sighed, hesitant to relinquish the details of the contract, but she knew that Gala was a trustworthy assistant. The pair had worked together for years before Regyn was elected senator.

“The Emperor is looking to construct a new ship building yard for his new space vessels, the whole lot of the Naval transports. The old shipyards of Corellia are perfect for what the Emperor is looking. I just hope that Moff Tarkin sees that, too.”

“The old shipyards?” Kruze was intrigued. The old shipyards had basically shut down since the end of the Clone Wars a few years ago. The workers had moved on to different fields as the need for ships declined. “Haven’t they fallen apart?”

“The Clone Wars only ended a few years ago, Gala. I know the shipyards have been empty since, but they aren’t so dilapidated that they aren’t useful. With funding from the Empire, we can restore them to even better quality than what they were twenty years ago. Plus, with the addition of the Emperor’s support, we should even have the funds to expand and build new facilities.” Vaus was sure of it. This was the only way to keep Corellia from falling into a world of poverty.

“Very well, Madame.” Kruze wasn’t sure that bringing the Empire in like this would be what Corellians needed, but she knew, just as Regyn did, that something needed to be done to rescue the planet’s economy. “I just hope that the Emperor will allow Corellians to have first bid for the new positions.”

“I agree!” Regyn replied. “The installation of a Naval shipyard will do us well, but the people of Corellia deserve a fair shot at employment in the new facilities.”

* * *

Back on Corellia, a black-haired boy was roaming the streets. He looked disheveled and lost. The young boy, not more than 14 or 15 years old, was hungry. He hadn’t had any real food in a few days. He searched the streets and the trash vaults, looking for any edible scraps that he could find.

It was hard for a young boy to find food when he was living on his own. He found small jobs here and there, but the pay was never substantial. Sometimes he would work in the fields or clean dishes, but he never made more than a few credits.

He wasn’t having any luck finding food today. All of the trash vaults were either locked or full of household materials. As the boy walked along, he came across a farm market. The boy knew that he’d look suspicious in the market. Even if he were just to wander through, all eyes would be on him. People were suspicious in these parts of stray kids. Times were rough for everyone. Crime was becoming more and more prevalent across the planet. But what was a hungry boy to do? If he didn’t eat soon, he could quickly fall ill.

He turned down a back alleyway located just before the market, stopping to compose himself. He combed his fingers through his matted hair in an attempt to appear somewhat less homely. Against the building opposite of the boy was a small shard of glass, a perfect little mirror. The boy knelt down to look at his reflection.

_Ugh_. He thought. This couldn’t possibly work. He would stick out like a sore thumb amongst the market crowd. He was at least a native Corellian, but most of these market dwellers were non-humans who had migrated to Corellia during the War for work. Now, like so many, they are scraping by on the streets.

His stomach rumbled. It didn’t matter… he had to try something. He checked his pockets and pulled out the contents. Two credits. “Well,” he muttered to himself, “this might get me some bread _crumbs_ at least.”

He walked out of the alleyway, back onto the main drag, the market a few meters in front of him. He approached cautiously, but knew that he had to keep his cool. The more anxious he was, the more suspicious he’d look.

The smell of the market was enough to feed the boy’s appetite. All of the various aromas caught the boy’s nose quickly as he entered the market. He moved around, examining the foods of the different stands. He stopped in front of one that abruptly caught his attention. _What’s this?_ The boy wondered. He’d never seen a fruit like this before on Corellia. It was a rounded fruit with an orange-purple color, small points protruding out around it.

“Ay! Boy!”

The rough and raspy voice startled the young market wanderer.

“You can look, but don’t even _think_ about touching it unless you have 20 credits.”

“Yes, sir,” the boy replied adamantly. “If you don’t mind, sir, what is this? I haven’t seen a fruit of this color at the market before.”

“Aye. I’d think not for a boy of your…” the large man looked the boy up and down. He paused, his suspicions growing. “What are you doing here?” he asked, leaning down towards the boy.

“I’m hungry,” the boy said in response. “I haven’t eaten in days. I thought I might be able to find something for the few credits I have. Or at least… I could offer to work to buy something.” He held his two credits up to show the man.

The large man’s laugh bellowed through the market. “You’re naïve, boy. 2 credits won’t get you very far on this planet and especially not for a meiloorun. These are some of the most lucrative fruits in the galaxy.”

The boy looked over the fruits before him. Meiloorun. He’d never seen this before and was so curious to know how it tasted. But he’d need at least 18 more credits before this large man would ever consider it. That would require nearly a year’s worth of work. Though he craved a taste of these fruits, he knew the taste would have to come at a later time. He thanked the man and moved on. Finding something for two credits might be harder than he thought.

He continued through the market. His nose led him to another stand, this one full of fresh breads. Behind the stand was a shorter woman with blue skin. He caught her eye and she, his. “How much will two credits get me?” he asked politely.

“Two credits?”

The tone of the woman’s voice wasn’t reassuring. Though, maybe, the boy wondered, if it was just because of her thick accent.

“Yes, two credits. That’s all I have.” The boy was on the verge of pleading with the woman. “I haven’t eaten in days, but I can work for you to pay off the rest of my debt.”

“Where are your parents?”

“I… uhm, I don’t know, ma’am.” The boy thought of his parents. He hadn’t seen them in years. “For what I can remember, they left one morning and I haven’t seen them since.”

The woman felt empathetic for the boy. She knew what he was going through. Her parents were killed during the Clone Wars on Pantora. A freak accident, but they were gone nonetheless. She left Pantora for Corellia after their death to start a new life.

“Alright, child. We will compromise. I will give you this half portion of bread in exchange for your two credits.”

The boy’s eyes lit up. _Yes!_ He thought. Two credits for a half portion of bread? The boy couldn’t argue with that! He wasn’t expecting to walk away from the market with much, but a half portion of bread was more than he had ever expected. He reached into his pocket for the credits and handed them to the Pantoran woman in front of him.

“That’s not all,” she said, taking the credits from the boy. She pulled him towards her, behind her market stand. Her voice getting softer, “You’re looking for work, I can make you an offer, if you’re willing to risk it. How hungry are you?”

He pondered a moment. Something seemed suspicious about this. He could tell she had something to hide, he was able to read her demeanor easily. Whatever this job was, it probably was something that could land them both in prison... _if_ they got caught.

“What did you have in mind?” he asked slyly.

“I need goods delivered to Kor Vella.”

Kor Vella was on the other side of the planet. A journey that far for a boy of his age would be a challenge. But what other option did he have. It was this, or starve.

“Kor Vella!” the boy said.

“Shhh!” She quickly replied. “Quiet, boy. I don’t need the rest of these no-good space junkies hearing this!” She lamented on, “Yes, Kor Vella.”

“But Kor Vella is on the other side of the planet. It’ll take me months to get there on foot!” the boy quickly snapped back. “If I can’t afford a portion of bread how do you think I can afford a speeder?”

“Yes, I know. I will provide you with transport and all that you need to complete this task.” The woman was sternly whispering to the boy. They had moved away from the market place, just enough that prying ears could no longer hear their conversation.

The boy thought on this for a moment. He had been looking for something to get his life moving. This could be his chance.

“Does it pay?”

“Deliver the goods in Kor Vella and I’ll pay you twenty percent of my profit minus the price of your half portion.” The mysterious woman’s voice was serious, even in such a hushed tone.

The boy waited a moment and looked in the blue-skinned woman’s eyes. Twenty percent could be a decent payload… depending on what he’s moving. But if it was something illegal, getting caught could cost him his future.

“What am I moving, exactly?” he asks pointedly.

“Smart boy,” she smiled and gave a feint chuckle. “Don’t as so many questions, it’s better if you know less.”

“Fine.” The boy wasn’t exactly pleased with this response; he had plenty of questions about this job, but he knew he could make it work. “Thirty.”

The woman looked back, still cracking a smile. “I like you, boy. What’s your name?” she asked.

“Han,” he replied.

“Well, Han, you’ve got a deal; thirty percent minus the half portion for delivering my goods to Kor Vella. Meet me behind the trading post tomorrow at sundown.”

Thirty percent. He didn’t know what he was getting himself into, but Han knew that whatever it was, it could be the start of him finally getting somewhere with his life.

“And you are?” Han asked to the woman, reaching to shake her hand.

“I’m called Chiin-Guoo,” she said, grabbing the young human’s hand.


	3. Negotiations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Emperor continues to hunt down the source of the Phantom Voice while Senator Vaus prepares her speech to the Imperial Senate in hopes of procuring a work contract for Corellia.

The Emperor sat behind his desk in his office. The room was dark, the large window overlooking the planet was covered by solar sheets. Projecting into the room from the Emperor’s desk was a star map of the entire galaxy. Since his bizarre encounter, Palpatine had been trying to find the clues to this mysterious world that he had been transported to through the Force.

He was particularly intrigued by one area that he knew from the ancient texts of the Sith; a region of the Outer Rim worlds that had been essentially wiped out of modern history. He could feel the Force calling him to go there, but these worlds were nowhere on the map.

According to legend, the Sith worlds were merely a shell of their former glory before their final demise, stripped clean of their heritage during the Galactic Republic. Hardly any living being in the Galaxy today would even know the dark history of these worlds. Palpatine himself only knew of them from the Sith texts and tales that he had studied as an apprentice to Darth Plagueis. Since he had killed his master long ago, it was likely that he was one of the only people in the galaxy with any knowledge that such worlds ever actually existed.

Thinking of places with dark connections, the Emperor’s first thought was of Malachor. Of course, Malachor was a planet that Palpatine knew to have connections with the Dark Side of the Force. This was, after all, where he’d found his first apprentice, Darth Maul. The Dark Side’s presence there was strong. But, it was nothing at all like what he had felt in his vision. There was one location, though, that peaked Palpatine’s interest on Malachor: the Sith Temple. He knew that this was not the temple from his vision, but Palpatine also knew that if there was one place on Malachor that might have some of his answers, the Malachor Sith Temple would be it.

Palpatine retrieved a book of ancient Sith texts from a hidden compartment in his office and brought it to his desk. He wasn’t sure if there would be any useful information in there, but he had to start somewhere.

Opening the book, he began in his research of the once-called Sith worlds: Exegol. He glanced to the galactic map hovering in the room. No such planet existed. Legend tells of the Sith Eternal occupying this planet; a sort of Sith graveyard. Palpatine remembered what the phantom voice had said to him in the vision: _true power lies not in what you can do when you are living, but how you exist in the Force when you have passed. Only the strongest and most powerful Sith Lords, so at one with the Force, can achieve a power to exist beyond life itself_. Palpatine wondered what he would find, if he could travel to Exegol. Was the phantom voice referencing the Sith Eternal?

He continued through the text: Rhelg was yet another planet that seemed to follow a pattern that the Emperor was finding: strong ties to Sith lore, but minimal concrete evidence of existing at all today. Palpatine grew frustrated. Were the Sith worlds even the right place to be searching? Were they even real? And if they were, is there any way to access them?

Moraband was another legendary planet in the Emperor’s ancient texts. He examined the literature carefully, looking for just some hint of where these worlds were once located -- Nothing. This research had been absolutely pointless in helping the Emperor find the phantom voice. What was he missing? Was there another part of the galaxy that the Sith had controlled or inhabited? He was getting frustrated; anger was building inside of the Emperor. He stood quickly, ready to make his way to the Senate Chamber.

_Wait_. Palpatine noticed something that seemed bizarre about the holo projection. He enlarged the region in front of him. From the angle, a portion of the Outer Rim seemed as though the image file had been corrupted. He attempted to zoom the map in on the area. It grew bigger, but it was impossible to actually tell what was going on. Perhaps he was just imagining what he wanted to see.

“Could it be?” the Emperor said aloud, as he examined the zoomed holo projection. Still, nothing was showing signs of tamper. Why would the file be corrupt anyway? The worlds were so old that the Republic wouldn’t have even known anything about them. If there was a cover up of these worlds, it surely would’ve come from the Old Republic.

He would need to reference the planets somewhere else. A historical database outside of the Sith Legends. Somewhere that wouldn’t have been edited by the Republic’s record keeping. The galactic library wouldn’t work – any file there would have been modified. Every option that Palpatine could think of would have, at some point, been under the influence of the Republic and Jedi. With seemingly no way to get a glimpse of this world, Palpatine concluded that there would be only one way to discover its secrets.

In the Senate chamber, Regyn Vaus was reviewing her proposal for the Imperial work contract from her Corellian Senate pod. She couldn’t help but feel nervous. This was, of course, her first attempt at securing such a lucrative package in the Senate.

The only person with her in the pod was her main assistant on Coruscant, Kam Ballo. He was a short man in his late thirties. He had neatly trimmed, blonde-colored hair that was slicked over to the right side of his head. Kam dressed well on a regular basis, but for Corellia’s more important moments, he always seemed to step-up his game.

“Are you ready, Senator?”

Regyn took a deep breath. “Yes. I’m confident in our proposal to the Emperor.”

“Glad to hear it, Ma’am. Can I get you anything before the proposals start?”

“No, thank you, Kam.”

Kam took a seat behind Vaus and opened his data pad to continue his work on keeping Senator Vaus’ Coruscant office up and running smoothly. Meanwhile, Vaus was seated at the front of the pod, taking deep, meditative breaths as she awaited the arrival of the Emperor.

“All rise,” a voice called over the chamber. Both Vaus and Kam Ballo stood, as was the new custom for the start of Imperial Senate matters.

“His Excellency, the Emperor.”

Regyn was surprised. The Emperor rarely attended Senate meetings himself anymore. Typically his delegate Mas Amedda would lead the sessions and report back to the Emperor, but to have the Emperor, himself, present could only mean that this contract was of the upmost importance.

A larger black pod, similar to the one Regyn was in, brought the Emperor to the main podium placed in the center of the chamber. Regyn remembered, as she looked down at the scene, of when she first arrived in the Senate chamber. It was just after the proclamation of the Empire, and there was a lot of damage in here from the Jedi attack. She was surprised at how quickly the repairs were made, considering the damage that had been done.

She watched the Emperor, dressed in his usual black attire with the hood that covered his scarred face. She still was shocked that he was here for this session. She knew that as the Emperor, he had complete control over whatever he wanted. The Senate only existed to solve planetary disputes, keep general peace between worlds, and put the Emperor’s plans into motion.

Palpatine’s personal assistant, Mas Amedda, accompanied him as usual, with the addition of Moff Wilhuff Tarken from the Imperial Navy, and a larger being whom Regyn had never seen before in the Senate chamber. The being wore all black, but appeared to be part droid; almost half-man, half-machine. His black suit was topped with a chest piece of all sorts of buttons and lights, which sat just underneath his long cape that drug slightly on the floor behind him. His head was covered in a mask, so shiny that the chamber reflected off of it. Regyn made out that the being must be some sort of intelligent life, as she could hear it breathing.

“Kam,” she called, “Who is the person in the black mask? I don't think I've seen him here before...”

“That’s Lord Vader. He’s in command of the Navy, second only to the Emperor himself.”

_That_ was Lord Vader? Regyn had heard much of this man, but she didn’t realize that he was half-machine. “Why does he wear that suit, do we know?”

“No,” Kam replied softly. “Some speculate that it was the fault of the Jedi, but we only have rumors.”

The group of men stood flanked by stormtroopers, holding their weapons at the ready. Regyn found this to be particularly odd, as the Imperial Senate building was one of the most secure locations on Coruscant. The crowd of Imperial importants applauded as the men entered the chamber and took their place at the center. Regyn and Kam applauded as well.

“Welcome, my friends. It is my humble honor to be here personally today to thank you for your service to the Empire. As you know, the Empire has grown rapidly over the previous years since the Jedi attack. Our Naval forces have grown so strong, in fact, that we must create new, lavish shipbuilding yards, the likes of which the Galaxy has never known.” The Emperor held his hands high in the air; the room rang again with applause. “The proposals that some of you will present today will be the first steps in helping to ensure the safety and security of a long and prospering Empire!” Once more the room lit up with applause.

The moment was quickly approaching for Regyn. She didn’t know how many other planets had proposals to present, but after all of her hard work and preparation, she knew that this contract had to be Corellia’s.

“Accompanying me today are two of the Navy’s most important members who will personally oversee the construction of the new shipyard facilities. Many of you will already recognize Moff Tarkin, Regional Governor to the Outer Rim. And also joining us today is Lord Vader, commanding officer of the Imperial Navy.” The room burst into thunderous applause.

The men in the center podium were standing tall and rigid, a rather intimidating air about them. Regyn noticed this as she applauded. It made sense. They were some of the most powerful people in the Galaxy, aside from the Emperor himself. They had to present themselves this way. It was only natural.

“Now, Senators, to present your world’s bid for the Naval contract. My personal representative to the Senate, Mas Amedda, will now lead the proposals.” The Emperor took a seat in the podium, but Lord Vader and Moff Tarkin remained standing.

“Worlds who wish to submit a proposal for the Imperial Contract of the Naval Shipyards should now enter their proposal data into the comm-pad and activate your request for recognition on the floor by the chair. Senators who do not wish to enter a proposal must submit their decision through the comm-pad as well. We will move orderly through each planet’s proposal before the Emperor announces his decision.” Mas looked over the room as Senators from across the galaxy began typing on their comm-pad consuls. 

Regyn entered the data card into the reader of the comm. One more deep breath and she pushed the button, which activated Corellia’s request to speak to the floor. “How many others do you think will submit?” she asked towards Kam.

“Preliminary discussions around the office yesterday indicated that around 20 planets had plans, but you know, Senator, that some just talk the talk. Though there have been rumors that the number could be much higher in reality. It’s hard to tell.”

“Have you looked into any of the others that are suspected to submit?”

“I have done some digging, ma’am. I believe that from the planets I have researched, that Corellia is one of the best-suited planets in the galaxy to harbor such a Naval base. Our history of ship building and proximity to the capital work greatly in our favor compared to other worlds.”

Kam was a smart man, well educated, and experienced in Senate dealings. He had worked on Coruscant for 15 years. Regyn appreciated his thoroughness and work ethic. She had learned a lot about her job just from their interactions alone.

Vaus didn’t reply. She retook her seat and looked around her, examining what she could of her fellow Senators. The mood in the room was one of both eagerness and caution. Imperial work was a rarity. Having the Emperor himself sit in on a session for the bidding only added to the intensity of the situation.

“The first representative to the floor for a bid to the Imperial Naval Work Contract is Senator Geyri from the planet Byss.” Mas Amedda’s announcement rang through the chamber as the Senator from Byss’s pod left its docking location and moved towards the center of the chamber.

“Thank you, speaker Amedda. The planet of Byss is a world long overdue for upgrades to the work force. The dedication of the inhabitants of my planet is unlike anything else in the galaxy. Byss is a young world eager for new work in helping the new Empire grow. With your blessing, Emperor, Byss could become the epicenter of Naval Force and War Power. Entrust your faith to the people of Byss and see the power of your vision fulfilled.”

As Senator Zoro Geyri finished, a light applause filled the chamber. Regyn contemplated the senator’s proposal; she thought much too brief and lacking in any detail. But Byss’s location within the deep core could elevate them over Corellia… This might be more of a challenge that Vaus expected.

Mas Amedda called the next senator and the somewhat tedious process continued on. Vaus listened to each senator plead their case with intrigue. Not every senator in the building was as enthusiastic, but they probably didn’t have as much riding on this contract as the Corellians did. Regyn knew that she needed to listen carefully so that she could make her plan stand out.

On the proposals went, seemingly verbatim speeches by generic senators talking about the young people without work and how they can have a _new start_ with a Naval contract. It wasn’t entirely unlike what Vaus had prepared, herself. She, in fact, started to drift off a bit as she reanalyzed what she’d heard so far with what she had planned in her speech.

Just at that moment the Corellian pod jolted suddenly, unhinging from its securing mechanism. It startled both Vaus and Kam Ballo. She glanced back at him quickly.

“Pull up my video archive vault on the main comm,” she said to him rapidly. “Clone Wars data files. Allow me access from the main screen.”

“Of course, Senator.”

At the center of the chamber, Mas was again standing at the center podium. “Thank you, Senator Pamlo of Taris. The chair now recognizes Senator Vaus from Corellia.”

By this time, Vaus’ pod had moved close to the center podium where the Emperor sat with his entourage of intimidating generals. She inhaled deeply, feeling the crisp air of the senate chamber fill her lungs.

“Your majesty,” Vaus began, “like so many other senators here today, I have come before you to promote the availability and readiness of my home world to become the new Naval shipyard for the Empire. It would mean a great deal to any senator to secure this contract for their planet and their people. However, I can assure you, your Majesty, that of the proposals we have heard from thus far, only Corellia is fit to begin immediate work on the tasks at hand.” Vaus looked down to her comm pad briefly to find an old video from the Clone Wars era. She pulled it up, activating it on the plethora of screens around the hall and in each of the planetary pods. The video started playing, showing images of Corellians working in shipyards building various types of pods, speeders, transports, and larger war-craft vessels, too. All from the past 10 years during the War.

“As you can see, Corellia was a vital component of the Republic only a few years ago, serving as a major ship-building location for Republic war ships. Though these facilities have not been used since the end of the War, I assure you that the restoration time of these buildings is nothing compared to the construction time needed for entirely new buildings.”

Vaus changed the projection to another clip from the Clone Wars. This time closer-up shots of workers inside of the facilities beamed throughout the imperial chamber.

“Not only is Corellia the best prepared to begin immediate work, your Majesty, but my people are very skilled craftsmen. Having already worked in ship manufacturing, the resources needed for training would be minimal. Not only that, but Corellia’s strategic location close to the capital will allow for his Majesty and other Imperial Officers to maintain frequent progress checks and safety inspections.”

This speech was entirely different than what Regyn had initially prepared. She had planned a speech just like the others that had been heard. She was going to talk about Corellians out of work or moving off world, the rise in crime, the failing economy. But she was completely off script. But she knew that she had captured the attention of nearly everyone in the room. Moff Tarkin seemed as though he had practically been asleep when she started, but he was now fully alert, listening to every word the Senator had to say.

“Colleagues, it is our duty to do what is right for the Empire. We must make the best decisions for our Empire. What is at stake here is too lucrative a luxury to afford to any Outer Rim or less equipped territory. Corellia is the right location for this new project. Not only because we are prepared for the work load of such a prestigious contract, but because we have the tools to ensure the safety and stability of a long and lasting Empire. If you believe, like I do, that our future is the Empire, then join with me in asking the Emperor to assign this contract to Corellia. I know that many worlds are suffering. But if we build a strong Empire, we can ensure a prosperous future for us, for our children, and for our grandchildren.” Vaus paused a moment, looking out over the hall. She needed a big finale to wrap this up, but she was nearly out of time. “Long live Emperor Palpatine and long live the Empire!”

Vaus’ time had expired just as she finished the word _Empire_. She couldn’t help feel nervous as she still stood there, making eye contact with the intimidating men at the center podium. As applause began, she caught the eye of the Emperor and she bowed her head gracefully towards him. As she came back up, she saw him stand and turn to Moff Tarkin then to Mas Amedda. Looking around the chamber, nearly every senator in sight was standing and applauding Vaus’ speech. Regyn and Kam Ballow floated back to their docking station and she finally resumed her seat, turning towards her young assistant.

“Well,” she said, “That went differently than I had planned.”

Kam paused a moment, a rather serious look on his face.

“Yes,… you didn’t read anything that you had planned. Not a single word!”

“It was too generic. I had to do something different. The planned script was identical to everything else that we’ve heard today. I just hope that I didn’t ruin our chance.”

“It was brilliant, Senator. Genuinely! Best speech anyone has given all day.”

Regyn feigned a small smile and her cheeks blushed. Even as an Imperial Senator she still had moments of embarrassment, but it was nice to know that someone of Kam Ballo’s capital tenure thought it was the best speech so far.

“Thank you, Kam. I couldn’t have done it without your quick work to pull up my archives.”

“Quoting the Emperor’s Imperial speech was a nice touch, by the way.”

Kam chuckled and nodded his head in recognition of the senator’s gratitude and they both turned their attention back towards the center podium. Vaus presumed that the next senator would have already started speaking, but in fact there had been a delay. Mas stood before the microphone patiently as Moff Tarkin and the Emperor continued to talk with one another in close proximity. A moment later Tarkin stepped to the side and the Emperor stood up before the microphone.

“Senators. Your dedication to the Empire has not gone unnoticed. Each Senator who has presented their cause today will be rewarded in time, but for now only one will be permitted to house the Naval shipyard. My counsel and I will deliberate the matter and Speaker Amedda will return with the decision in one hour.

With that, the chamber again was full of applause and all in attendance stood as the Emperor made his way out, followed by Lord Vader, Moff Tarkin, and Speaker Amedda. Vaus turned back to Ballo.

“And now, we wait.”


End file.
